running themes stephen king books

I'm reading Duma Key and am picking up lots of themes from other books. For example, one man who can't sleep says he feels like he's floating above himself like a balloon. This is an obvious ref to insomnia. I've read about links between books with randalf flagg and other baddies with `RF` initials. I would like to know more about these themes. Does anyone know if anyone's written anything i can read up on? It's something I'm interested in because I'm going back and re-reading the old SK's.

I like The Regulators much more than Desperation. There's some silliness but I like that whole, 'suburbia in crisis' idea, and how some people crumble so quickly whilst others are able to cope even if we might not have expected them to.

Rereading some of his books, finished Desperation at the weekend and then I realised I should retread The regulators as they are linked. I like the Stand so much that I also have the unabridged version, bloody huge!

tillyfernackerpants The first SK book I started was "It", and I couldn't get into it (oops) at all. I read about a quarter of It and abandoned It , didn't try any others for a long time. One day I'll give It another go as It seems to be a favourite for most people.

SK 's women generally aren't career minded no. They don't have big powerful jobs, they aren't stockbrokers or lawyers. But they work as teachers, librarians, writers, secretaries, farmers. His men also do these same jobs! They arent career minded either. He doesn't write about people with big jobs and yes he does have a couple of SAH wives/mums, which reflects the reality of his home life. But these women are always smart, busy, creative, brilliant women. I just don't get a shred of sexism.

I loved all the ones like pet semetary and it when i was young as i wasn't allowed to watch the films but i dont think my mum thought the books would be as scary :s but when re read any now, i can see much more depth to them than just an on the surface horror story. I guess i've matured as a reader. For example i read 'carrie' and the gripping bit back then was when she was covered in blood and murdering everybody. Now, i read it and the main part is her home life and the child abuse that went on. I've changed from loving Carrie as the baddie to pitying her as an abused child.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rPkjMfoM6M8 here you are! The whole gloriously terrible three hours of the Langoliers! I'm off for a bath and bed with this on :-) Ponyo, please please read the stand. We sound similar ages and I remember being young and my parents letting me watch the tv adaptation of the sand. It really "got" to me as only SK books do.

I just think some of his worlds work better than others. The bull stuff is silly and so is the thing with the piebald sides in Lisey's Story, but other fantasy like the world of The Langoliers, for example, is brilliant.

That's really weird, Ponyo! I've always felt like that about SK and I think it's what's prevented me being really addicted to his books. I think he describes "real" situations (however odd he chooses them to be) so well, but I HATE it when he goes off into fantasy. I really must give him another go. I read Cell when it came out and thought is was appalling. The Stand though.... I've read it about eight times and know it tragically off by heart!

Wow exactly the same GetStuffezd, I read it at a similar age and couldn't put it down, and I found the painting/bull parts frustrating! The actual 'real life' bits were much more scary. I re-read it a few years ago and still loved it, hope you do too!

Rose madder was wonderful - it hooked me even at the age of 16 when I had no experience of DV. However, I hated it when it went into the bizarre tangent of the painting and the bull! God I must buy a copy and re read it and see if it makes any more sense 12 years later!